It's not easy for any parent to leave their young child with someone else while they work.

And to hear that a childminder shook a baby in her care to death will have raised extra concerns for untold numbers of parents.

In a case described as "every parent's nightmare", registered childminder Keran Henderson was found guilty of shaking 11-month-old Maeve Sheppard to death. But although the case is worrying, many parents have no choice but to use childcare while they work, and childminding is a popular option .

Alison Garnham, joint chief executive of the childcare charity Daycare Trust, says: "The death of Maeve Sheppard is an appalling tragedy, but an exceptional one. Parents should be reassured that the overwhelming majority of childminders do an excellent job, and the 200,000-plus children in their care are safe, happy and well cared-for."

Childminders have to undergo a series of checks before they can be registered with Ofsted to care for children aged under eight.

If a childminder looks after children without being registered, they face prosecution unless they are a close relative of the children in their care, or included in one of several other exclusion categories, like foster parents.

Ofsted looks at 14 national standards for childminding, which include child-minders completing a pre-registration course and training in first aid for babies and children, and carrying out changes to their premises recommended by Ofsted.

Andrew Fletcher, of the National Childminding Association, says: "It's about more than just keeping children safe - it's about their cognitive development as well. Registration looks at whether the childminder is suitable for the job, and at learning, playing and developmental outcomes for the child."

There are other checks such as a Criminal Records Bureau check, and a visit from an Ofsted inspector to ascertain the suitability of both the childminder and their premises.

After registration, inspection visits are carried out at least once every three years. He advises parents looking for childminders to get a list of them from their local authority Children's Information Service, make a sho rtlist and initially ring those on the list to ask questions. Then visit their home to have a chat and look round, before making a decision.

Log on to www.daycaretrust.org.uk, for advice or contact the Daycare Trust information line on 0207 840 3350.

Top tips...

Three ways to ensure a trouble-free restaurant meal with a toddler:

1. Book a table about half-an-hour earlier than your child's normal meal time, to allow for ordering and waiting.

2. Take toys and/or things to draw with so they don't get bored while waiting.

3. Order the child's favourite foods, rather than getting them to try something new.

It's hard enough making one dish for family mealtimes when you're a busy parent.

But new research has found that in many homes children are demanding dishes made especially for them - and the poor cook is having to prepare an average of 2.4 different main dishes at the same sitting.

In fact, the study by Oxo liquid stock found that only 36 per cent of families eat the same dish at the same table.

And the biggest of all main meals, Christmas dinner, sees an average of 40 per cent of people at any one table consuming different food to everyone else.

Oxo spokesperson Sue Brennan says the 'multidinner' may be due to a combination of increased occurrence of food allergies and fussier eating.

She adds: "In the 1970s and 1980s, it was all about, 'You'll get what you're given', and most family members consumed the same meal together. In 2007, it's a very different story."

Dietician Nigel Denby points out that it can take young children up to 13 exposures to accept a new food, which can be very frustrating for parents.

He says: " Family mealtimes are a critical part of teaching children to enjoy a variety of foods. But time is something we all seem short of these days, and this often means that different meals are prepared just to keep mealtimes harmonious.

"While special dietary needs must be catered for, the ideal situation is where one meal is enjoyed by all members of the family."